Canal and the filling and emptying of the locks thereof



March 13, 1928.

F. M. HENRY CANAL AND THE F'ILLING AND EMPTYING OF' THE LOCKS THEREOF 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1926 March 13, 1928. o

Ff. M. HENRY CANAL AND THE FILLNG AND EMPTYING 0F THE LOCKS THEREOF Filed March 18. 1926 Z-Sheets-Sheet 2 //rr l Mmmm/bmg] Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

FRANCIS M. HENRY, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. i

CANAL .AND THE FILLING ANI) EMPTYING 0F THE LOCKS THEREOI'.

Application led March 18, 1926. Serial No. 95,610.

My invention relates to improvements in canals and the lling and emptying of locks thereof, and to this end, generally stated, consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. f

Referring to the drawingsz. .i

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a View coorresponding to Fig. 1 but showing another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the invention shown in, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View principally in transverse vertical section taken on the linev v6--6 of Fig. 4; p

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 7 but showing modification of the siphon; and

Fig. 9 is a View corresponding to 8 but showing a modification. n v

The numeral 15 indicates a river having a lower pool 16 and an upperpool 17, and a tail race 18 empties into the river between said pools. Y

Referring iirst to the invention as illustrated in Figs.1, 2 and 3, the numeral 19 indicates two lower locks at the head of a lower pool 16 and two upper locks 2O atthe foot of the upper pool 17. Connecting the two sets of locks 19 and 20 is an elevated artificial canal 21 of reinforced concrete construction loosely supported on columns or retainer walls 22. To keep the canal 21 out of direct contact with the columns or retainr ing walls 22 there is interposed therebetween joint strips 23 `of copper' or other suitable material. By thus supporting the Vcanal 21 on the columns 22 the same is free to con tract or expand both longitudinally and transversely under 4varying weather conditions.

The canal 21 extends along the river 15 at one side thereof and spans the tail race 18. In the sides of the canal 21 are a plurality of overflow openings 21a located directly over the tail race 18 so that they discharge therein.

described and The upper locks 20 are filled from the upper pool 17. through conduits 24 formed in the outer walls of said locks and having a plurality of laterals 25 that open directly into said locks. Each conduit 24 has at its intake end a gate 26, and a Y-shaped conduit 27 is formed in the bottom of the canal 21 with its arms'connected to the conduits 24 at their discharge end. The main body of the conduit 27 extends longitudinally of the canal 21 at the center thereof and has a `plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 28arranged to discharge into the canal 21 through the bottom thereof to fill said canal.k A gate 29 is installed in the receiving end of each arm of the 'conduit 27. Leading from the discharge ends of the conduits 24 are drain conduits 30 having gates 31 installed therein, and which conduits are arranged to discharge, the one into the river 15, and the other into the tail race 18. A drainconduit 32,A equipped with a gate 33, leads laterally from the niain body of the conduit 27 and is arranged to discharge into the river 15.

Extending longitudinally of the canal 21 is along conduit 34 for iilling the locks y19 from the pool 17 or locks 20 or both. This conduit 34 is formed partly in the center wall between the locks 20, partly in the bottom of the canal, and partly outside of said canal. The upper orintake end of the con` duit34 is extended along the bottom ofthe pool 17 for considerable distance above the locks 2() and provided `with a plurality of longitudinally spaced intake openings 35. An emergency gate 36 is installed in the conduit 34 above the central wall between the locks 2O and a gate 37 is installed ink said conduit just below said gate 36. A conduit 88 for each lock 20 is formed in the central wall between said locks and connected to the respective lock by lateralsi 39; The lower ends of the conduits 38 are arranged to` discharge into the conduit 34 just below lthe locks 2O and each thereof is equipped below the laterals 39 with a gate 40.

The lower end of the conduit 34, at the upper end of the central Wall betweenk the locks 19, ,has two parallel branches 41 formed in said wall and arranged to discharge into the lower pool 16. Each branch conduit 41 is provided with a plurality of longitudiin each conduit 41 above its laterals 42 and a gate 44 is installed therein below said laterale.

For filling or partlyy iilling thelocks 19 from the canal 2l, there is formed in the bottom of said canal, above the locks, 19, a con. duit 45 that extends substantially parallel to the conduit 34 and is provided'with a plurality of openings 46 that open into said canal through the bottom thereof. The discharge end of the conduit 45 is connected to the conduit 34' at the junction of the conduits 41 therewith and is equipped with a gate 47. Leadin :trom the conduit 45, up stream from t e gate 47, is a laterally extended drain conduit 45 equipped with a gate 49.

The locks 19 may also be filled freni tho canal 21 throughconduits 50 formed in the outer walls of 'said lock with their upper ends opening into said canal above the locks 19, and which conduits have later-als i. 51 that open directly into said locks. In-

stalled in each conduit 50, above the laterale, 51',`is a gate 52 and also installed in said conduit, below said laterale, is a gate 53. Leading from the gates 53 are drain conduitsf54a that extend laterally outward from the outer walls of the locks 19 c and are formed in the wing Walls 55 of said `walls and providedwith a plurality of laterale 56 arranged to discharge into the lowerl pool 16.

Normally, all of the gates are closed with the exception of the emergency gate 3G. To fill the `locks 20 from the pool 17, the gates 26 are open to permit allow of water through the conduits 24 and the laterals 25 into said locks and to drain said locks, the gates 31 are open to permit a llow of Water through the laterals 25 and drain conduits 30 into the river. To fill the canal 21 from the upper pool 17, the gates 26 and 29 are opened,

ortov empty thelocks 2O into the canal 21,` the gates 29 areopened to permit a tlow of waterthrough the laterale 25, conduits 24, conduit 27 `and openings Y28. VTo fill the locks 19 from the upper-,pool 17, the gates 37 and 43 are opened to permit a flow ofl water through the conduit 34, conduits 41 and later-als 42. The locks 19 may also be filled byopeningithe gates 52 to permit a flow of water from the canal 21 through'the conduits 50 and laterale 51v into Said locks. The canal 21 may be also filled from the conduit' 34 by opening the' gate 47 to permit a liow of water from saidlcon'duit into the'conduit 45 and through itsdiseharge openings 46. To drain the locks 19, the gates 53 are opened to permit a flow of water through the,y laterals ,51, conduits 50 and drain 4conduits 54 and laterals 56.

Toi-drain the canal 21 at the close of a season, or for another purpose, the` gates 49 and 33 are opened to permit' a How of water from the canal in tothe conduit 45 through the openings 46, and from thence through the conduit 48, which discharges into the river 15.

From the above description, it is evident that the lower locks 19 may be lilled directly from the upper pool 17 without taking any ywater whatsoever from the canal 21 or said locks may be filled partly or entirely from the lock 20 through conduits 38 and 34 or from the canal 21. The canal 21 may be filled either directly from theupper pool 17 through the conduits 24 and 27 or from the 24 and v30, or through the cond-nits 38-34y the water inthe canal 21 is not agitated, so that boats are not disturbed during their travel between the locks and while in front of the locks 2() during the emptying of the same.'

Referring now to the invention as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, the construction and arrangement of parts are substantially identical with those shown in Fles. 1 to 3,`inclusive, and .like parts have lille reference characters, with the exception of parts 34, 45, 4G, 47 and 48. Along the land side of the locks 19 is a reservoir 57 having a holding capacity of several times that of the locks `19. This reservoir 57 is automatically filled frointhe pool 17 or locks 20, or botl'1,through a conduit 34 like the conduit 34, with the exception that it discharges into the reservoir 57 instead of the locks i9. Normally, the gates 3G and 37 are open so that the reservoir57 is auton'iatically filled through the conduit 34', and when the level thereof reaches the level of the pool 17, the filling' action thereot` is automatically stopped.

` The locks 19 are filled from the reservoir 57 through arsiphon 58, the discharge leg of which connected to thc conduits 41 abovey thel` gates 43. This siphon 58 is formed partly in the wall hetwccn the reservoir 57 andcanal 2l, and partly in the bottom of said canal, and has in its crown `a gate 59. `It will be noted, byrefcrencc lo Fig. 7, that the crown ot theI siphon 5S is below the watery level in the reservoir 57, so that when the gate 59 is open, the Siphoning yaction'is automatically started to lill the locks 19 from the reservoir `57. i

. To fill thecanal 21 rornthc reservoir 57, there is formedy in the bottom of said canal a conduit 60 that entends -from said reservoir to the center of the canal 21 and thence at lll() ilU right angles up stream, and has formed from the bottom thereof. A gatel 62 is installed in the conduit 60 at its intake end.y

A drain conduit 63 leads `from the elbow of the conduit 60, is arranged to discharge into the river l5, and is provided with a gate. 64. In the top of the lower wall of the reservoir 57 is an overflow 65 Yfrom said reservoir to the lower pool 16, and also formed in said wall a drain conduit 66 equipped with a gate 67. By opening the gate (Sil, the canal 2l may be drained at the close of a season or for any other purpose, and by opening the gate. 67, the reservoir 57 may be drained.

Referring now to the invention illustrated in Fig. 8, the locks 19 are filled from the f reservoir T through a si hon 68 the crown of which is above the water l'evel in said reservoir. To start a siphoning action in the siphon 68, there. is provided an upstanding pipe 69 at the crown of' said siphon, to which may be applied a connection ttor exhausting the air in said Siphon or through which water may be pumped to lill the siphon.

Referring now to the invention as shown in Fig. 9, the locks i9 are filled 'from the reservoir 57 through a conduit 70 that leads troni the bottom ot said reservoir and is connected to the conduits 4l above the gates 43.

The lower lock gates 8l in both the lower and upper locks 19 and 2O are provided, as shown, with valves 82 through which the locks may be emptied.

What l claim is: y

l. The. combination with upper and lower locks, of a canal section between said locks, and gate-controlled water-conveying means for filling and emptying the locks without disturbing the water in the canal section.

2. The combination withnpper and lower locks, of a canal section between said locks, and selective `gate-controlled water-conveying means for filling the lower lock from a point above the upper lock, from the upper lock, or from both, without disturbing the water in the canal section.

3. The combination with a canal, of a lock in the canal, and gate-controlled waterconveying means having a. multiplicity of longitudinallyr spaced intake openings for filling the lock from a point distant 'from the upper end of the lock.

4. rlf`he combination with a canal, of a lock in the anal, and gate-controlled means having a multiplicity of longitudinally spaced intake openings for lling the lock, and a gate-controlled conduit for emptying the lock at a point distant from the lower end et the lock. Y

5. The combination with a canal, of upper and lower locks in said canal, a water supply conduit for the lower lock leading from the canal above the upperV lock, and means for controlling the flow of water through said conduit.

6. The combination with a canal, of upper and lower locks ins-aid canal, a water supply conduit. for the lower lock leading from the 9. The combination with a canal, of a lock in the canal, a water conduit leading from the canal above the lock, upper and lower f gates in the conduit, said conduit being open to the lock between said two gates, a waste pipeV leading from the conduit below the lower gate and arranged to discharge outside of the canal, and a gate for the waste pipe.

1,0. The combination with a canal, of a lock in the canal, a water conduit leading from the canal above the lock, upper and lower gates in the conduit, said conduit being open to the lock between said two gates, said conduit having an extension below the lower gate, extending below the lock and provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced opfnings located at distant points from the loc r. l

ll. The combination with a canal, of ka lock in the canal, a water conduit leading from the canal above the lock to a point below the same, upper and lower gates in the conduit, said conduit being open to the lock between said two gates, a waste pipe leading from the conduit below the lower gate and extending laterally away from the lock and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings arranged to discharge into the canal at distant points below the lock, and a gate for the waste pipe. f

l2. The combination with a canal, of a lock in the canal, a water conduit for filling the lock, extending longitudinally of the canal above said lock and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced intake openings, a gate for opening and closing said conduit to the lock, and a gate-equipped drain conduit leading from said conduit above its gate.

1B. The combination with a canal, of upper and lower locks in the canal, a reservoir, a water conduit leading from the canal above the upper lock for automatically filling the reservoir to maintain a level corresponding to the water level above the upper lock, and means for filling the lower lock from the reservoir.

14. The structure defined in claim 13 in fuarthercombination with` a second conduit leading from the upper lock to the first noted conduit, and a gate in said second conduit.

l5. The'combination with a cannl, of a lock in the canal, ai reservoir, a Siphon leading from the reservoir to the lock, means for filling the reservoir to start n siphoning action to fill the lock from the reservoir, and a gate for the Siphon.V f

16. The structure defined in claim 15 in which the gate is located at the crown of the Siphon. c

17. The combination with a canal, upper :md lower locks in the canal, u, reservoir independent of the canal aindlocks, n waiter conduit leading from the canal above the ulper lock to the reservoir, and means for ing the lower lock from the reservoir.

18. The combination with a. canal, of upper and lower locks ,in the canal, :L reeer- Voir, a waterconduitleading from. the upper lock for filling the reservoir, und means for filling the lower lock from the reservoir.

19. The structure defined in claim 17 in further combination with a gate for the conduit abovethe upper lock, a gate-equipped second conduit lending from the upper lock to the conduit.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

FRANCIS M. HENRY. 

